Trend tropical fashion: Carmen Miranda and her influence on fashion.

One of the trends of summer 2016 is the tropical fashion and we cannot let Carmen Miranda out of it, great Tupiniquim icon, many of the tropical trends that we have adopted and are used in fashion were invented by her.

Who was Carmen Miranda?

Carmen Miranda was born in Portugal, immigrated with her parents to Brazil when she was less than 1-year-old, she always considered herself being Brazilian, or rather Carioca. She studied at a Nuns School and got out from there with a sharp tongue, she was foul-mouthed, debauched, independent, influenced by the “scam-artist” atmosphere of Lapa, she was a true bohemian. Her artistic life began as a radio singer, known as the little remarkable, she made magazine theater, then went to television, to finally get to the movies and consolidating her career in Hollywood. Carmen Miranda made over 20 films, she was the first Latin American to have her star on the Walk of Fame, hands and feet in the courtyard of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in 1941 and the first person to play with characters of Walt Disney. Carmen Miranda received the highest salary ever paid to a woman in the United States.

How her baiana look was created?

In 1939 in the movie Banana of the Land, Carmen dresses for the first time as Baiana and sings “What does a Baiana have?” by Dorival Caymmi, making this look the strength of her character, becoming her trademark. Carmen Miranda worked for 16 years in a hat factory and she was also an excellent seamstress, all her costumes were made by herself. Its exotic look was hailed by US critics, they have been so successful that ended up on Fifth Avenue in New York, replacing creations of renowned designers, but with time their style characterized became its Achilles’ heel, because when she tried to get rid of this stereotype imposed by producers and movie makers she did not succeed.

11 creations that featured Carmen Miranda: The “Miranda look”

Turban: One of the reasons that Carmen created huge turbans were to disguise her 1.52m, and the use of her legendary platform shoes.

Skirts and ruffles: The skirts and ruffles Carmen also borrowed from Bahia, giving glamor and glitz.

The excess of the prints, lace and embroideries: To Carmen being in the sewing machine was like a therapy, she spent nights embroidering her clothes. And addedflowers, fruits, birds to all of them. Some of her clothes weighted 12 kilos.

Earrings, bracelets and exaggerated collars: the inspiration comes from the top party Baianas, with the crisis of the 40s, the use of large jewelry that mimicked jewels spread and inspired by the famous Baiana’s frills with their hanging golden amulets.

Platform : The platform was created in 1930by Ferragamo , and it was the first patent of the fashion world . But word has it that at the same time Carmen Miranda had also invented this type of shoe to disguise her short stature, ordering her platforms to a shoemaker from Catete. Soon after when she made worldwide success, she began a long and happy partnership with Ferragamo , where they used brightness and heights ( some platform were more than 20cm height) without fear , Ferrragamo created exclusive models for her, becoming one of the most important features of her look .

Top Cropped: to value her small figure, she combined the long skirts with ruffled tops, to make clear the shape of her body.